Scottish Cup the target on final night

NEWS Thursday 4th October 2018, 10:30am

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

The Staggs Bar Monarchs bring down the curtain on the 2018 season on Friday night at Armadale with the second leg of the Scottish Cup against Glasgow, needing to win by more than 10 points to take the trophy.

The first leg was actually the opening night of the season at Ashfield, but the return at Armadale was rained off. Six months on the destination of the trophy will be decided.

Monarchs have fallen narrowly short of what they hoped to achieve this season, and the fact that they came so close then missed out in vital recent fixtures, failing to reach the Playoffs and the KO Cup Final, is certainly a big disappointment. All the team can do now is provide a small consolation by aiming for the Scottish Cup in what should be an entertaining finale.

There are guests in the fixture with Glasgow tracking Richard Lawson for Cook and Carl Wilkinson for Greaves. Edinburgh have been in touch with every eligible Championship rider without success and are grateful to National Leaguer Dave Wallinger for agreeing to fill the slot left by injury to Joel Andersson.

Promoter Alex Harkess said "Our aim has to be to overturn the ten-point deficit we have against Glasgow. There is no point entering anything if you are not determined to win it. It's not the most prestigious competition that we have been in all year but it is there to win. The aim is to win it and win it well."

Edinburgh have won the Scottish Cup 23 times to Glasgow's 16, but the Tigers have taken the last two which were as far back as 2011 and 2013. Tactical substitutes are not permitted in the competition and were not used in the first leg.

THIS WEEK'S MEETING:

Friday 5th October: Staggs Bar Monarchs v Glasgow (Scottish Cup 2nd leg), 7:30pm

STAGGS BAR MONARCHS: Ricky Wells, Victor Palovaara, Josh Pickering, Richie Worrall, Erik Riss (captain), William Lawson, Dave Wallinger (Guest).

GLASGOW ALLIED VEHICLES TIGERS: Richard Lawson (guest), James Sarjeant, Claus Vissing, Paul Starke, Chris Harris (captain), Jack Thomas, Carl Wilkinson (guest).

Full Result Details